The Seelie Curse

Chapter 69

When Rowan reaches the field, she can see the silhouette of someone sitting in the yard, beneath the rowan tree. She doesn't even need to get closer to know it is her mother. With a sigh, Rowan winds her way through the tall grasses between the forest's edge and the house. The gate opens with a squeal and her mother twists around from the tree to look.

She had been facing away from Rowan this whole time, she wouldn't have seen her coming. The sound of the gate must have been a bit startling. Rowan frowns as she moves closer, her mother's face looks red and blotchy. If she squints, she can see tear tracks. What's wrong? Why is her mother crying?

Rowan's voice is soft. "Mum?"

Arwen just beckons to Rowan, silent tears sliding over her cheeks. Rowan settles onto the bench beside her mother and lets her mother wrap an arm around her. Rowan leans her head on her mother's shoulder and just listens to the wind softly moving through the leaves of the rowan tree for a few moments.

"What's bothering you, Mum?"

Arwen shakes her head, sniffing slightly. "It's nothing, Rowanberry."

"No, it's not. You're crying. Was it me? Did I do something to hurt you?"

"No! Goodness no. Rowan, it's not your fault." But Arwen hesitated.

Rowan's face crumpled. "I did, didn't I. What did I do?"

"Nothing!"

Rowan twists to look her mother in the eyes. "Mum, tell me what I did."

Arwen sighs. "You didn't do anything, exactly. It's just memories."

"I don't understand."

Rowan's mother sighs again. "You're pulling away from me, Rowanberry. You're hiding things. I can't help but be reminded of- of your father. He did the same thing, before he left."

Rowan's voice is soft, almost a whisper. "Oh, Mum."

Arwen gives her a weak smile and smooths her hand over Rowan's hair. "Sweetheart, you can't help it. You didn't know." her voice hardens. "However, you are keeping secrets. Tell me what it is, Rowan."

"I can't."

Her mother's face darkens in anger. "You can't, or you won't?"

Rowan winces. "Both?"

"And why can't you tell me?"

"I just can't, Mum. I'm sorry."

Rowan pushes to her feet and stalks off towards the house. She pushes the front door open to see her grandmother sitting on the sofa with a mug in her hand, eyebrows raised. Rowan flushes slightly.

"What?"

Aisling lowers her mug to the coffee table with a click as it makes contact. Then she folds her hands in her lap. "You shouldn't have gotten angry at your mother."

"I can't help it! She keeps trying to make me tell her and I can't."

"Be that as it may, she is trying to help you, Rowan. She knows something is wrong and she wants to help. But she can't because she doesn't know what you're hiding. It hurts her to not be able to do anything."

"So what am I supposed to do, Gran? Tell her and break her heart? Mum knowing what is going on would only make things worse."

Aisling sighs. "Just . . . don't push your mother. You can't tell her, but you can tell me. There is something off today and I want to know what."

Rowan glares at her grandmother. "No."

She had been planning on sinking onto the sofa, but she isn't going to do that now. Rowan walks past her grandmother to the hallway. She can hear the slight sound of her grandmother making a move to stand from behind her.

"Rowan, where are you going?"

Rowan twists around. "I've been immersed in the Aos Sí world for months now. Something is happening today, and I need to be ready for it. So I am going to go change, grab some food, and then I'm going into the woods again. Tell Mum whatever you want."

"Just tell me what's happening!"

"No, Gran. I don't have time to do that and I don't need to tell you. And if I did, you would probably try to stop me from going."

"Rowan!"

"No, Gran. I'm not saying it again."

Her grandmother falls into silence and Rowan sweeps down the hallway. She changes quickly, dressing in green clothing with a few small red items layered onto her wrists. She tightens the strap of her bag after slinging the strap over her shoulder. She won't be taking it off anytime soon and she isn't going to leave it free to work against her as a handhold.

Once ready, Rowan darts into the kitchen to grab a carrot muffin and a handful of brambleberries. She catches the whiff of something cooking in the oven, but she doesn't want to waste time by stopping to check. Muffin in hand, she slips out the back door. Instead of using the gate and confronting her mother again, Rowan just climbs over the stone wall.
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Is Rowan being too rash? What do you think of what she said? What's going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out